Sports Illustrated spotlights TNA president Dixie Carter

Sports Illustrated online has posted an exclusive feature article on TNA President Dixie Carter! Titled “Welcome To Dixieland: A Look at Pro Wrestling’s Female Boss”, the piece looks at Dixie’s past, the rise of TNA Wrestling, the early years of the company, the success with SpikeTV, the future of TNA and so much more!

The boos get louder each time Dixie Carter steps out onto the stage, but in pro wrestling, that’s never a bad thing. After a decade of running Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), the No. 2 pro wrestling company in the world, Carter has learned that any reaction is a good reaction.

Carter also knows that the same fans jeering her will be the first ones to race up to her for her autograph when the moment presents itself. You’re either with Team Dixie or you aren’t, darlin’. Such is the world of pro wrestling, a communal experience where good and bad is presented in clear fashion and the fun of it all is getting to react accordingly in unison.

Pro wrestling isn’t real in terms of other sporting events, as its outcomes are predetermined. But the business of pro wrestling is as real as the business of the NFL, NBA or MLB. There can be big money involved — it’s said that World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), far and away the juggernaut of the industry, has a billion dollar profit cap between its multiple television shows, pay-per-view events, merchandise sales and other revenue streams.

TNA has its eye on a piece of that lucrative pie, though it has some obstacles to contend with to get there. It already has wrestled a few and is preparing for more to come. And at TNA’s helm, might be the unlikeliest of leaders: a beautifully dynamic, 49-year-old Southern belle named Dixie Carter.